Mu'po statuette

Cameroon

Wood - Height 15 cm - Late 19th, Early 20th century

Mu'po statuette for magical use, owned by diviners and healers, most of whom were members of the Ku'ngan secret society. Most often, these statuettes had a protective function against illness or evil spirits...

They generally come from central Bamileke country, in particular from the chiefdoms of Batié, Bamunam and Bangwa. The Bamikele people live in western Cameroon, in a savannah region on the grassland volcanic highlands.

Pierre Harter (1928 - 1991) was a French doctor specializing in tropical pathology. He spent over 30 years in Cameroon, where he received numerous objects in gratitude for his care, many of which he bequeathed to the MAAO (formerly the Musée de la Porte Dorée).

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